Duplicating machine



Feb. 11, 1930. J. J. FLANIGAN DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed Feb. 15, 1928 7Sheets-Shet v J -EJLZIW J/UL IF/ou Feb. 11, 1930. J. J. FLANIGANDUPLICATING MACHINE Filed Feb. 15, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jaw/hr? Feb.11, 1930. J. J. FLANIGAN DUPLICATING MACHINE '7 Sheets -Sheet Filed Feb.15, 1928 OJL W Email?? J/uz'f Ila/1i 19730- J. J. FLANIG AN DUPLICATI NGMACHINE Filed Feb. 15, 1928 TShets-Sht 5 I Feb. 11, 1930. Y J, FLANIGAN1,746,642

DUPLI CATING MACHINE Filed 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Feb. 11, 1930UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN J. rLAnIeAn, or OAK PARK, ILLINOISDUPLICATIN'G MACHINE Application filed February 15, 1928. Serial No.254,334.

This invention relates to duplicating or .ers; and in the preferred formof the inven-' tion, hereinafter described and shown in the accompanyingdrawings, the machine is adapted to simultaneously take impressions froma plurality of master sheets containing 29 original bills, andsubsequently reprint the same on a single wide copy sheet which maysubsequently be divided-into individual bills corresponding to the bills'onthe individual master sheets.

A popular form of bill" at present extensive- 1y employed consists of aslip carrying a printed form suitably ruled to provide on the left halfdata such as the period covered and the meter readings and on the righthalf the total units consumed, the amount of the gross bill, and theamount of the net bill if paid on or before a discount day; the name andaddress of the customer appearing in association with the items on theright hand half. Attached to the right hand end of the bill slip,usually by a scored or perforated line, is a stub on which is printedthe identical mat ter appearing on the right hand half of the main billslip. The original or master sheet. after the impression thereof hasbeen made on the machine, is retained by the company. The copyconsisting of the slip and its stub HbOVQ-(IGSCIlbGd is mailed to thecustomer. If the customer pays by check, he mails in his check, togetherwith the stub, which latter is then checked with the original bill andif pay ment is correct both are Withdrawn from current records and filedaway; the customer keeping the main portion of the bill for his records.If payment is made by cash, both the main and stub sections .are stampedreceipted, the main section is handed to the customer, and the stub isretained by the company and checked up and filed away with the originalbill.

The foregoing description of a method of billing now in common vogue isgiven in order to make clearer the utility of the present invention infacilitating such a method of billmg.

In the machine of the present invention, the platen carriage carryingthe roller which impresses the master sheets and the copy sheets on thegelatin matrix is power-operated; and an important feature of themachine resides y in a clutch-controlled mechanism, operated by theattendant of the machine, by which the platen carriage is first given along or full stroke to impress the master sheet or sheets on the matrix;is then given a second long or full stroke to print the entire bill onthe main portion of the copy sheet, and is then given a short or halfstroke, after the copy sheet has been shifted to a new position on thematrix, to print the matter on the right hand half of themai'n sheet orslip on the stub section of the copy sheet. The above described printingoperations require the rear end edges of the master and copy sheets to"be set at different positions, when impressing said sheets onthematrix; and another important feature of the present inventionresides in a margin bar equipped with a plurality of stops to arrest andposition the lower end edges of the sheets at different points in thelengthwise direction of the matrix.

The invention, its manner of manipulation, and-the advantages inheringtherein will be readily understood bypersons familiar with copyingmachines of this general character from the following detaileddescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in whichI have illustrated one practical and useful embodiment of the inventionwhich in practice has been found to satisfactorily effectuate the statedpurposes and objects thereof, and referring thereto- Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of the machine viewed from the right of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, showing the platen carriage at the forwardlimit of its full stroke; v

' Fig. 3 a vertical cross-section on the line 33 of Fig. 2, but showingthe platen carriage at its starting position, and also illustrating bydotted and full lines, the first and second positions of the copy sheet,when printing'the main and stub sections of the latter respectively, asdetermined by spaced stops on the margin bar;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse section, similar to Fig. 3, showingthe starting position of the master sheet, as determined by a third stopon the margin bar;

Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of a manuallyoperated device by whichcertain stop fingers on the margin bar are shifted into and out of astop position;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section, taken on the line 66 of Fig.1,through a clutch and clutch-control mechanism that form part of theoperating connections from the motor to the platen carriage;

Fig. 7 is a plan section, taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 88 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8'

Fig. 10 is a sectidnal detail of the clutch.

shifter dog and its support and guideat a point in the descent of thedog where it first engages the clutch shifter plunger;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 illustrating a fully engagedosition of the shifter dogl with the clutch shi ter plunger, wherein itas compressed a spring which operates the clutch shifter;

Fig. 12 is an elevation of the clutch and clutch shifter, viewed fromthe rear of Fig. 6, and showing the driving and driven clutch membersengaged;

Fig. 13 is a top plan of Fig.12, showing the driven clutch member partlybroken out and in section;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 1414 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a perspective elevation of the clutch separating cam sleeveand its ratchet;

Fig. 16 is a group View showing a group of master bills such as aresimultaneously impressed on the duplicating bed;

Fig. 17 is a View 'of a multiple copy sheet V on which the bills shownin Fig. 16 have been printed on both the main sections and the stubs.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates each of a pairof uprightskeleton side frame members, the upper horizontal limbs 10 of which areconnected and spaced by "horizontal tie rods 11. Mounted on the tie rods11 guide rod 20 on whichis slidably mounted the hinge sleeve 21 of theplaten carriage designated as an entirety by 22. In the carriage 22 ispivotally mounted at 23 (Fig. 3) a yoke frame 24 carrying a platenroller 25 which serves to roll the sheet gut on the duplicating bandafter the frame 24 has been pushed forwardly by a handle 26 thereon. Theroll 25 cooperates with a spring-pressed paper gripping roll 27 to gripthe sheet and positively carry it down onto the duplicating band.Mounted on the carriage 22 is an upwardly and forwardly inclined pan 28to support the sheets as they are positioned onthe machine preparatoryto impressing themon the duplicating band said pan 28 being herein shownas divided transversely by ribs 28 (Fig. 2) into four compartments toreceive an equal number of master sheets or sli s.

it the front or receiving end of the machine and rigidly supported byand between the side plates 14 is a margin bar or plate 29 that isequipped with three stops for determining the positions of the lower endedges of the sheets at the inception of the printing operations. Therearmost sto consists of an undercut strip 30 (Fig. 3 the intermediatestop 31 is formed by a downward offset in the plate 29; and the forwardstop is formed by the front ends of a group of fingers 32 that are faston a rock shaft 33 journaled on and beneath the bar 29 and arepreferably formed with depending tips 34 that play through registerinholes 35 (Fig. 4) slightly in rear of the forward edge of the margin bar29. By reference to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen that the margin bar 29is formed with a plurality of vertical slots 29 extending through and inrear of the offset stop 31, for the passage of the fingers therethrough.When this forward stop is to be employed, the fingers 32 are rockeddownwardly by the simple mechanism illustrated in Fig. 5 consisting of arock shaft 36 in rear of the rock shaft 33, depending arms 37 and 38 onthe rock shafts 33 and 36, respectively, a link 39 connecting saidarms,and a hand crank 40 fast on the rock shaft 36. When the intermediatestop 31 is used, the fingers 32 are rocked upwardly to permit the papersheet to slide therebeneath into edge contact with the stop 31, asclearly shown in Fig. 4. When the rear stop 31 is used, as shown by thedotted line position of the copy sheet in Fig. 3, the

passes thereover.

This margin bar, equipped with a plurality of stops for determining theprinting position of the sheet, performs an important oflice in themachine when used for the printing of bills of the general characterhereinbefore described.

Referring next to the clutch-controlled power-mechanism for efl'ectingthe forward printing movements of the platen carriage, attached to and.depending from the horizontal bar 10' of one of the side frames 10 is abracket 41 in which, and in a bracket (not shown) on the opposite sideframe member of the machine, is mounted a fixed shaft 42. On

one end portion of shaft 42, just inwardly of the bracket 41 isrotatablymounted a sleeve 43 having on one end thereof a disc 44 formedin its periphery with spaced notches 45 for a purpose hereinafterdisclosed, and formed on its other end with two pairs of long cams 46,and intermediate short cams 47 this member being well shown in isolateddetail in Fig. 15. Projecting from the inner face of the disc 44 are twopairs of short pins 48 and inter mediate long pins 49. Rotatable on thesleeve 43 is the hub 50 of an upwardly extending arm' 51, the upper endof which arm is connected by a link 52 to a collar 53 that encircles astud 54 (Fig. 1) on the sliding sleeve 21 of the platen carriage and maybe confined in place by a locking ring 55 and set screw 56. By thisconnection the platen carriage can be swung upwardly on its hinge sleeve21 without disturbing the operating connection of the arm 51 thereto.The platen carriage is normally urged to its rear or starting positionby a pull spring 57 (Fig. 1) anchored at one end to the arm 51 and atits other end to a stud 58 in the side plate 14.

- The hub 50 constitutes the driven member of a power-operated clutch,for which puror clutch teeth 62 and63 (Figs. 12, 13 and 14)..

The two clutch members are normally held apart by means hereinafterdescribed, and when the driving clutch member 61 is urged toward thedriven clutch member 50, .as hereinafter described, as'soon' as theoverhanging portion on each clutch member registers with the countersunkportion of the other, the tooth 62 drivingly engages the tooth 59 sothat the drivenclutch member 50 is rotated until the two clutch membersare positively separated by one of the cams 46 and 47 engaging a pin-64(Figs. 6 and 7) that is mounted in the inner face of-the driving clutchmember 61, and is backed by a screw 65 which enables fine adjustment ofthe position of the pin 64.

Describing the means for continuously rotating the driving clutch member61, 66 (Fig. 1) designates a pair of hangers depending from the tierods11 and supporting a platform 67 on the under side of which is mounted anelectric motor 68.

Referring to Figs. 1,6 and 7, the armature of the motor, 68is connectedby a pulley 69, belt 70 and pulley 71 to an ordinary worm reducercomprising a worm shaft 72, worm 73 thereon, worm wheel 74, worm wheelshaft 75, gear 76 on worm wheel "shaft 75, and gear 77 fast on orintegral with driving clutch member 61. The spur gears 76 and 77 aresufliciently wide to accommodate the slight shifting movement of theclutch member 61 without disengagement of said gears.

Describing next the means normally holding the clutch members apart, andreferring to Fig. 6, on the bracket 41 is an inwardly extending arm 78,onthe inner end of which is pivoted at 79 an ordinary forked clutchshifting lever 80, the forked end of which engages a circumferentialgroove 61' in the clutch member 61. A-leaf spring 81 fastened at 82'tothe arm 78 exerts an outward thrust on the upper arm of the lever 80.

Referring next to the anism-for eifecting wor 50, and referring to Fig.1, 83 designates a pedal lever pivoted at 84 on the frame and connectedat 85 to the lower end of a rod 86 that extends upwardly through a guidelug 87 (Figs. 7 and 8) on the frame bar 10' and is encircled above saidlug by a thrust spring 88 abutting against a washer 89 on the upper endof the rod, whereby the rod and lever are normally maintained inelevated position. Fast on the rod 86 is a bracket 90, inwhich ispivoted at 91 the lowerend of a hook pawl 92, that is pressed toward thepins 48 and 49 of the disc 44 by a leaf spring 93. The

end of arm 96 is reduced and rounded to form a bearing 96' for the hub98'. of aninwardly projecting dog 98, the hub 98 being rotatable on thebearing 96'. and limited as to movement by a pin 99 in the bearing 96projecting through a slot 100 in the hub 98. Thedog 98 is urged tothedownwardly inclined position shown in Figs. 6 and 10 by a bow spring101 connected at one end to the dog, by a lateral pin 102 and anchoredto the inner face of a guide block 103 (Fig. 9) that 1s attachedpgdal-actuated mech 'ng engagement of j the clutch member 61 with theclutch member cave recess 107 to receive the hub of the dog in itslowest position, the upper free edge 107 of the recess 107 constitutinga cooperating stop for the dog 98 to raise the latter against the spring101 and cause it to perform its function of indirectly shifting theclutch shifter lever 80.

Referring to Figs. 6, 10, 11 and 12, rigidly secured to the lower end ofthe clutch shifter lever 80 is a hollow guide 108 containing a slidableplunger 109 and a thrust spring 110 backing said plunger. On the outerend of the plunger 109 is a forwardly projecting nose 109 thatcooperates with the dog 98 in the manner hereinafter set fort-h in thegeneral description of the operation.

- While the extent of the forward travel of the platen carriage islimited by the long and short clutch throw-out cams 46 and 47, I find itdesirable to provide positive stops for said carriage to preventoverthrow of the latter through momentum. A very simple selective stopmechanism for this purpose is illustrated in Figs. 1, 6, 7 and .8, andconsists of the following. On the platen guide rod 20 is a fixed collar111 that positively limits the full or long stroke of the platencarriage permitted by the long cams 46. Pivoted between depending lugs111' (Fig. 1) of the collar 111 is a lever 112 having on its forward enda concave stop block 113 adapted to be thrown up against the under sideof the guide rod 20 1n front of the collar 111, as indicated by dottedlines in Fig. 1. The rear end of the lever 112 is connected by a link114 to a rearwardly extending arm 115 of a second lever that isfulcrumed at 116 on the frame bar 10 and has its forwardly exgending arm117 extending across the circular path of travelpf the long pins 49carried by the disc 44; sa d arm 117 not being affected by the shortpins 48. Whenever a down stroke of the pawl 92 brings one of thelongpins 49 beneath the arm 117, the'latter is raised, and the stop 113 isthrown up to working position wherein it positively" limits the short orhalf stroke of the'platen carriage. As soon as the pin 49 rides out frombeneath the arm 117, the stop shoe 113 and its operating parts arerestored to normal idle position by a spring 118 (Fig. 1).

Referring to Figs. 1 and 8, attached to the bracket 41 is a springdetent 119 that'bears on the periphery of the disc 44 and snaps intovone of the notches 45 thereof each time the pawl 92 completes its downstroke,-and locks the disc against back turning under the friction ofthe rising pawl, the spring detent also opposing a slight back turningtendency of the disc under the thrust between the clutch pin 64' and theclutch throw-out cams 46 and 47 A weighted arm 120 fast on the drivenclutch member 50 may be employed if desired to aid the pull of spring 57in returning the carriage to starting position.

For greater convenience and celerity in operating the machine, the rearportion of the frame thereof is preferably extended upwardly as shown at10 in Fig. 1 to carry a plate or shelf 121 on which is mounted a cabinetcontaining one or more tiers of compartments 122 for containing themaster sheets and also the copy sheets if desired, the front open endsof said compartments lying just behind and above the upper end of theguide vpan 28, so that the operator readily draws the sheets out andloads the pan from the compartments.

In the operation of the machine, the motor is started, and the drivingclutch member 61 is rotated idly. being held out of engagement with thedriven clutch member 50 by the spring 81. The operator draws from one ofthe compartments 122 a plurality of the master sheets M, Fig. 16, (fourin the instance shown) and lays them in the corresponding compartmentson the pan 28, with the printed side of the sheet lowermost, and

the right hand end of the sheet, as shown 'in Fig. 16, downward. It willbe observed from Fig. 16 that the last column on the sheet is blank, andthe width of this column is equal to the distance between the margin barstop 31 and the rear edge of the printing bed. 'The rock shaft 33 isturned to raise the stop fingers 32, as shown in Fig. 4, and the sheetsare slid downwardly until. their lower edges abut the stop 31. Theoperator then by a forward push on the yokeihandle 26 depresses theplaten roller 25 which forces the sheet onto the bed, and then depressesthe pedal lever 83. This, through the pawl 92, disc 44 and one of thepins 48 or 49, turns the cam sleeve 43 in a clockwise direction viewingFig. 8 through one-sixth of a revolution, bringing one of the long cams46 into working position. During the final portion of the downwardmovement of the lever 83 the dog 98 engages the nose 109 of the plung-vthe driving clutch shifts to the left, viewing Fig. 6, under the thrustof spring 110 (which is stronger than spring 81), bringing the shoulderor tooth 62 into driving engagement with the shoulder or tooth 59,. asis shown in Fig. 12; The parts are so timed that at this instant the lowend of one of the long cams 46 l1es directly opposite the pin 64 carriedby the driving clutch member, so that said pin is carried intoengagement with the base of the cam. The driven clutch member 50 is thusturned, and the arm 51- fast thereon is swung rearwardly carrying theplaten carriage in the same direction. During this movement the pin 64rides up the cam 46 and separates the two clutch members at the end ofthe predetermined stroke of the carriage operating arm 51. As the lever80 is swung to clutch closing position by the thrust of spring 110, thefree end of the plunger tip 109' is slightly lowered out of thrustengagement with the dog 98 to the position beneath the nose of the dogshown in Fig. 12, which permits the spring 110 to return the plunger 109to its normal outer position, and relieves the thrust of the spring110.0n the lever 108. It will be understood that the friction betweenthe teeth 62 and 59, under the stress 1 of the load, aided by the downthrust of dog 98 on plunger tip 109' (Fig. 12) prevents spring 81 fromseparating the clutch members before they are positively separated by.

the cam 46; the function of spring 81 being simply to insure-againstaccidental coupling of the clutch members when pedal lever 83 is notdepressed. The foot ressure on the pedal having been released, t espring 88instantly returns the pedal and parts depressed thereby tonormal elevated position, bringing the pawl 92 into engagement with thenext pin 48 or 49. The-platen carriage is returned to starting positionby the spring 57, and

during this full first stroke of the carriage the full length of theprinted portion of each master sheet is impressed on the printing bed ofthe machine. During the return travel of the carriage the master sheetsare peeled olf, and a copy sheet C, Fig. 17, is then drawn from thecabinet and laid facedown on the partitions 28" of the pan 28, and it isthen slid downwardly and rearwardly to occupy.

the position shown by dot and dash lines in Fig 3,,wherein. the l owerend of the sheet (corresponding to the right hand end viewing Fig. 17)abuts against the rear stop .30 of the margin bar. The distance from thestop 30 to the rear end of the printing bed is.

equal to the length of the stub portion C of the copy sheet 0, so thatduring the next printing operation that portion of the sheet receives noimpression. The platen roller having beenthrown down, the pedal lever isagain depressed, and the platen carriage again makes a full lengthstroke bythe mechanism above described, the clutch being thrown out bythe engagement of the pin 64 with the next long cam 46. During thesecond return travel of the carriage, the impressed portion of the copysheet is peeled off, and the copy sheet is then drawn for- :theadvantages secured, and hence all such variations, modifications andmewardly and upwardl on the pan 28. and its lower edge is reste the endof the stop fingers 32, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3. The platenroller having been again lowered,.the foot pedal is again depressed, andthis time the carriage makes a. half or short stroke due to the factthat the pin 64 is then engaged with one of the short cams 47, whichopers ates to disconnect the clutch when the carriage has traveled farenough to print the stub of the bill onthe copy sheet, the sameconsisting of the printed matter appearing on the right hand half. ofthe master sheet. This results in the production of the complete billand stub as shown in Fig. 17. Simultaneously with the depression of thepedal lever to elfect the final and short stroke of the platen carriage,one of the long pins 49 on the disc 44 rides under the lever arm 117 andthereby throws the movable stop 11?; up into position to check themomentum of the carnage at the termination of the short stroke; thefixed collar 111 serving the same function in connectionwith the long orfull strokes of the platen carriage.

By the, machine herein described, very rapid printing of the master andcopy sheets can be effected by a skilled operative, and hand labor inmanipulating the platen carriage back and forth over the bed is avoided.

While .I have described the machine as adapted for getting out bills ofthe kind herein illustrated, it is manifest that the machine may beemployed to advantage for printing other matter either by successivecarriage movements of the same length or of different lengths, sincemanifestly the carriage move ments may be rendered uniform in point oflength by making all of the controlling cams in the clutch of uniformlength and using all' the details ofthe machine may obviously beresorted to without departing from the op erative principle thereof orsacrificin any of reserve chanical equivalents as fall within the spiritand purview of the claims.

ity of paper sheet stops spaced lengthwise of the bed.'

1. In a duplicating machine, the combinain engagement with 2. In aduplicating machine, the combina- .tionwith a'printing bed, and aplaten'carriage reciprocable thereover, of a margin bar pposite oneendof said bed equipped with riage reciprocable thereover, of a margin baropposite one end of said bed, a movable paper sheet stop adjacent to theforward edge of said margin bar, and a fixed paper sheet stop in rear ofsaid movable stop.

4. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a printing bed, and aplaten carriage reciprocable thereover, of a margin bar opposite one endof said bed, a vertically mov able paper sheet stop adjacent to theforward edge of said margin bar, a fixed stop in rear of said movablestop, and a second fixed stop in rear of said first-named fixed stop.

5. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a printing bed, and aplaten carriage reciprocable thereover, of a margin bar opposite one endof said bed, said margin bar being formed with a downward offset in rearof its front edge forming a paper stop, and a vertically movable papersheet stop located forwardly of said ofiset.

6. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a printing bed, and aplaten carriage reciprocable thereover, of a margin bar opposite one endof said bed, said margin bar being formed with a downward ofiiset inrear of its front edge forming a paper stop, a vertically movable papersheet stop located for Ward of said offset, and a transversely disposedstrip on said margin bar in rear of said offset forming a third papersheet stop.

7. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a printing bed, and aplaten carriage reciprocable thereover, of a margin bar opposite one endof said bed, said margin bar being formed with a downward offset in rearof its front edge forming a paper sheet stop, a rock shaft journaled onsaid margin bar, and a group of forwardly extending fingers fast on saidrock shaft overlying the forward portion of said margin bar, theforwardends of said fingers in the loweredposition of the latterconstituting a paper sheet stop.

8. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a printing bed, anda'platen carriage reciprocable thereover, of a margin bar opposite oneend of'said bed, said margin bar being formed with a downward offset inrear of its front edge forming a paper sheet stop, and with a row ofapertures forwardly of said offset, a rock shaft journaled on saidmargin bar, and a group of forwardly extending fingers fast on said rockshaft overlying the forward portion of said margin bar, the forward endsof said fingers being formed with de pending tips entering saidapertures in the lowered position of said fingers.

9. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a printing bed, and aplaten car-,

riage reciprocable thereover, ofa margin barv opposite one end of saidbed, said margin bar being formed with a downward offset in rear of itsfront edge forming a paper sheet stop and having vertical slotsextending through and in rear of said offset, a rock shaft beneath saidmargin bar in rear of said offset, and a group of fingers fast on saidrock shaft extending forwardly through said slots and overlying theforward portion of said margin bar, the forward ends of said fingers, inthe lowered position of the latter, constituting a paper sheet stop.

10. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a printing bed, and aplaten carriage reciprocable thereover, of a motor, transmissionmechanism, includingcooperating clutch members, between said motor andsaid carriage, a spring normally maintaining said clutch membersdisengaged, means operable by the attendant of the machine for en-vgaging said clutch members, and automatic means for disengaging saidclutch members at the end of a predetermined forward movement of saidcarriage.

11. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a printing bed, and aplaten carriage reciprocable thereover in movements of variable lengths,of a motor, transmission mechanism, including a normally idle clutch,between said motor and said carriage, means operable by the attendant ofthe machine for throwing in said clutch, and automatic means forthrowing out said clutch at the end of each of successive variablelength forward movements of said carriage.

12. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a printing bed, and aplaten carriage reciprocable thereover, of a motor, a driven clutchmember and operating connections therefrom to said carriage, a drivingclutch member driven by said motor, spring-actuated means normallymaintaining said clutch members disengaged, means operable by theattendant of the machine for bringing said clutch members intoengagement with each other, and automatic means for separating saidclutch members at the end of a predetermined forward movement of saidcarria e.

13. In a uplicating machine, the combination with a printing bed, and aplaten carriage reciprocable thereover in movements of variable lengths,of a motor, a driven clutch member and operating connections therefromto said carriage, a driving clutch member driven by said motor,spring-actuated means normally maintaining said clutch membersdisengaged, means operable by the attendant of the machine for bringingsaid clutch members into engagement with each other, and automatic meansassociated with said clutch members for separating the latter at the endof each of successive variable length forward movements of saidcarriage.

14. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a printing bed, and aplaten carriage reciprocable thereover, of a motor, transmissionmechanism, including a normally idle clutch, between said motor and saidcarriage, means operable by the attendant of the machine for throwing insaid clutch to thereby eifect a forward travel of said carriage,automatic means for throwing out said clutch at the end of apredetermined forward travel of said carriage, a stop to prevent excessforward travel of said carriage, and a spring acting to return saidcarriage to starting position.

15. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a printing bed, and aplaten carriage reciprocable thereover in movements of variable lengths,of a motor, transmission mechanism, including a normally idle clutch,between said motor and carriage, means operable by the attendant of themachine for throwing in said clutch, automatic means for throwing outsaid clutch at the end of each of relatively long andshort forwardtravels of said carriage, a fixed stop to prevent excess forwardmovement of said carriage on its long travel, a movable stop to preventexcess forward movement of said carriage on its short travel, automaticmeans for shifting said movable stop into working position, and a springacting to return said carriage to starting position.

JOHN J. FLANIGAN.

